Circuit-breaker.



' J. B. & H. E. HOWE.

CIRCUIT BREAKER. APPLICATION FILED MAB..19, 1909.

932,863. Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

inventory STATEg PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. EQWE HARVEY E. IZQWE, 0F WEBER, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

Application filed March l9, 1909 Serial No. 484,397.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN B. Hown and HARVEY E. Howe, citizens of the United States of America, residing at VVindber, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Breakers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a circuit breaker, particularly designed for the trolley systems of mines, and the invention has for its primary object to provide a circuit breaker with a. novel connecting piece for establishing a circuit between the confronting ends of two wires when a trolley wheel is passing from one wire to the other.

A further object of this invention is to provide a circuit breaker with a connecting piece for establishing a circuit, said connect-- ing piece being adjustable and provided with means whereby said piece can be locked to normally establish a circuit irrespective of the circuit breaker.

It has been the practice in connection with the trolley systems of mines to employ circuit breakers, which are used for con- I meeting the confronting ends of two trolley wires, and providing a non-conductive gap for a trolley wheel. said gap being com pleted by a piece of insulation, as wood or fiber and the current from one trolley Wire to the other conve ed around the piece of insulation. Consi erablo trouble has been experienced by gathering locomotives and haulage locomotives becoming stalled, with heavy loads, at the circuit breakers, the elec trical current in proportion to the load stalled by the locomotive not being sutiicient to carry the locomotive past the circuitlu'eaker, and in a great many instances it has been necessary to provide auxiliary means to carry the locomotive past the circuit breaker, 7

while in other instances, it has been necessary to reduce the load.

It is the principal object of our invention to obviate the above dilliculties by providing a circuit breaker with a connecting piece that will immediately establish an electrical circuit and conductor for the assage of a trolley wheel from the end of one trolley wire to the 'end of another, the connecting piece being dormant exceptwhen a trolley wheel contacts with the same, or when the connecting piece is set to provide an electric conductor independent of the conductor wire of the circuit breaker.

Our invention will be hereinafter considered in detail and then specificallyclaimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing forming a part of this applicationwherein there is illustrated the preferred embodiments of our invention, but We'would have it understood that the detail construction thereof can be varied or changed withp ut departing from the spirit of the inven- "1011.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is.

an elevation of a circuit breaker constructed in accordance with our invention, Fig. 2 1s a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the same, Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the circuit breaker with the connecting piece thereof in a dormant or inactive posi-. tion, necting piece in an active position, and Fig.

5 is an elevation of a wedge used in connec- Fig. 4: is a similar view with the consockets 7 for a wire (not shown) adapted I to convey electrical current from one memher to the other around the insulated breaker piece 3. The parallel clamping plates 6 are connected to the ends of the insulated breaker piece 3 by rivets 8, and said breaker piece intermediate the ends thereof. is provided with a hanger socket 9, all of these parts being common to the present type of circuit breaker used in connection with the trolley systems and mines.

Our invention resides in providing the insulated breaker piece 3 with a metallic connecting piece 10, V-shaped in cross section and provided with tapering ends 11, whereby a trolley Wheel can easily pass from the member 1 on to the connecting piece 10 and on to the member 2, and vice versa. The

for holding the connecting piece 10 in position to cooperate with the circuit breaker, the sides oit'said piece are provided with vertical bifurcated straps 13 extending upwardly upon the sides of the breaker piece 3. ,These straps embrace outwardly projecting pins 14 carried by the sides of the breaker piece, and for holding said straps in engagement with said pins Wedges 15 are adjustably mounted in longitudinal alining grooves 16 provided therefor in the faces of the straps l3 confronting the piece 3, and to retain the wedges in engagement with the piece 3, said Wedges are apertured as at 1?, and set screws 18 extend through said aper tures and into the breaker piece 3. The end of each Wedge is reduced, as at 19, whereby when the reduced portions 19 of said Wedges engage the pins 1%, the connecting piece 10 will be suspended from the breaker piece 3, and in such position is inactive for the purpose for which the circuit breaker is intended.

By adjusting the Wedges 15, the connecting piece 10 can beelevated into engagement with the breaker piece 8, and as the ends or the connecting piece contact with the members i 2 when in an elevated position, a circuit Wili be normally. established between members irrespec'ive of the Wire the sockets 'Z. posit-ion ldoin noces esired to dispense with the aid in actuai tice the a piece ii ii be 1g piece ovides oi tro. member ceases l-laving now described our invention what we claim as new, is i 1. In a circuit breaker, the combination with Wire coupling members, and an insulated breaker piece connecting said members, of a connecting piece suspended from said breaker piece, said connecting piece being V-shaped in cross section and provided with tapering ends, straps carried by the sides of said connecting piece, and means in connection with said straps for holding said connecting piece in engagement with said breaker piece.

2. In a circuit breaker, the combination with coupling members, and an insulated breaker piece connecting said members and having a lower edge V-shaped in cross-section, of a movable connecting piece substantially ii-shaped in cross-section suspended from said breaker piece and adapted to be elevated by a trolley Wheel providing a conductor between said members, and adjustable means carried by said breaker piece for locking said connecting piece in engagement therewith.

3. in a circuit breaker, the combination with coupling members, and an insulated breaker piece connecting said members and having a lower edge ii-shaped in cross-section, of a movable connecting piece substain tiaily V shaped in cross-section suspended from said breaker piece and adapted to be elevated by a trolley wheel'providing a conductor between said members.

, i. in a circuit breaker, the combination with coupling members and an insulated. piece connecting said members aving 1 ioiver edge ii-shaped in cross-sect" iii-able conductor piece subst'n sped in cross-section normally genient with said coup insulat d piece. pony whereof We our signs-- in prose 

